Pet carriers are portable enclosures for temporarily housing and/or transporting small domestic animals, such as cats and dogs. Unlike dogs, birds and other pets, cats have a unique combination of characteristics that can make them particularly difficult to handle and control. Cats usually are very alert, have quick reflexes, have a good sense of balance, are extremely agile and can be rather skittish under certain circumstances. These qualities in combination with a cat's sharp claws can render general purpose pet carriers unsuitable for handling cats. At times, it can be difficult to safely transfer unwilling cats to or from conventional pet enclosures.